From 13 to 17 May 2025, the NATO Defense College hosted its annual Conference of Commandants (CoC 2025) in Athens, convening senior leaders and experts to explore strategic developments in defense education. The event was co-organised with the Hellenic National Defence College and marked the 54th NATO Conference of Commandants. It brought together 138 senior officers, commandants from NATO member and partner countries, and representatives from NATO bodies.

The day opened with a keynote address by Ms. Christina Leimoni, EMEA Regional Director at Microsoft, who shared insights into how the private sector is adopting and deploying AI at scale. The keynote was followed by a high-level panel discussion on generative AI integration into military education.

Dr. Vangelis Karkaletsis, Director of the Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications at NCSR “Demokritos” and Greece’s national representative on the EU AI Board, participated in the panel alongside Professor Roy Lindelauf (Netherlands Defence Academy) and Mr. Michael Wadley (Defence Academy of the United Kingdom). The session was moderated by Dr. Florence Gaub.

Panelists explored the urgent need to shift from basic AI literacy to AI fluency across both military and civil societies, a critical step in ensuring that personnel at all levels are equipped to navigate and apply AI-driven tools. Discussions also emphasized the importance of robust governance frameworks to ensure system compliance, ethical use, and reliable outcomes.

One of the central points around which the discussion turned was the essential role of human leadership in the responsible integration of AI into educational systems—an area where Europe is actively shaping policy and infrastructure. Dr. Karkaletsis highlighted the experience of Demokritos in developing trustworthy AI and national AI capabilities in alignment with European values.

Dr. Karkaletsis’ participation reflects the growing international recognition of Greece’s contributions to responsible AI development and its role in supporting both civil and defense innovation strategies.